BOUND Synonyms: 210 Similar and Opposite Words

bound 1 of 5

noun (1)

Definition of bound

as in limit

a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go the language in the novel really is beyond the bounds of decency

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Relevance

as in confines

the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something colored outside the bounds of the drawing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bound

2 of 5

noun (2)

as in leap

an act of leaping into the air the kangaroo took one giant bound and was gone

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bound

3 of 5

verb (1)

as in to define

to mark the limits of the country is bounded by water on two sides

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to border

to serve as a border for being bounded on all sides by the Alps has helped Switzerland maintain its neutrality

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bound

4 of 5

verb (2)

as in to hop

to move with a light springing step the child giggled and bounded off to play with her friends

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to leap

to propel oneself upward or forward into the air a rabbit bounded down the garden path

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bound

5 of 5

adjective

ˈbau̇nd

as in determined

fully committed to achieving a goal I am bound and determined to write a novel before I turn 30

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bound

Noun

Instead mathematicians settle for proving upper and lower bounds. — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026 She was called for a technical after making contact with an official while going out of bounds, but the league rescinded it after the game, returning her total to seven and eliminating the suspension. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Verb

Interior galleries, each with its own orientation and entry, are loosely distributed within the extensive open space of the museum’s single floor; the whole volume is bounded by a winding, unbroken wall of windows. — Katy Barkan, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 The sound of a teenager bounding down the stairs of our home. — John Biemer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Adjective

The bound paper booklets in which students hand-write their responses to test questions have surged in popularity during the AI explosion. — Jamil Zaki, CNBC, 12 May 2026 The Dodgers’ split-squad group that journeyed the 14 miles from Glendale (and ultimately lost to Texas, 7-6) was largely a skeleton crew of Triple-A bound prospects and wannabes. — Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bound

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bound

Noun

The team calculated a combined measure of heat and humidity that sets a lethal limit for modern endotherms and found that threshold was never crossed anywhere in their Cretaceous simulations.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2026
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is preparing legislation to ban burqas and niqabs in schools and impose limits on foreign students per classroom.

— Maria Grazia Murru, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of limit

Noun

Diaby intercepted a pass in the attacking third, raced to the edge of the penalty box and blasted a rising shot into the net to cap the scoring in the 63rd minute.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
In places at low to moderate risk of fire, along the edges of flat valleys and lazy hills, growth in the FAIR Plan is ballooning, and it is being used to underwrite new suburban development.

— Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of edge

Noun

The adjustment made Van Ness leap across the line of scrimmage before the snap.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
The consensus view is reflected in the title of this episode, which is that these big, transformative leaps in technology wind up reflecting the best and worst of humanity.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of leap

Verb

As Doo-sik, Squid Game’s Park Hae-soo is delivering the show’s defining performance with such vigor and charisma that Stone’s hand is, whether intentionally or not, tipped.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Born in Buenos Aires in 1959, Cerati rose to international prominence as the frontman, guitarist and creative force behind Soda Stereo, the pioneering band that helped define rock en español across the 1980s and ’90s.

— Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of define

Verb

The coordinated attack occurred at a compound in Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
The vote was a moment of triumph for community organizers and residents, particularly those whose neighborhoods border the interstate and were vulnerable to demolition.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of border

Verb

Legislators from major production states — Georgia, New York, California, Texas — have hopped on board, but the efforts of CAP and others were aimed at bringing more people into the tent, including those from states with less filming going on.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
To return, board the hop-on, hop-off boat with your CityCard for a 90-minute city tour (hopping off not obligatory).

— Adrienne Wyper, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of hop

Verb

There was still the possibility that all of this had been a colossal instance of jumping to conclusions on Tristan’s part, and that the name Buster had been chosen at random for its mass appeal.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Spring for a scrub and a massage for extra relaxation, and unwind in the lounge afterward for snacks and tea to refuel before jumping back into activities like birdwatching, kayaking, and lawn games.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of jump

Adjective

For his part, BYU coach Kalani Sitake is determined to ensure Cougars fans can have more to brag about in the future, demanding that his program receive more financial support from the athletic department and university.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Two of the drama’s whopping 53 nominations were for Seehorn’s portrayal of determined attorney Kim Wexler.

— Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of determined

Browse Nearby Words

bouncy

bound

boundaries

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Bound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bound. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of bound

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb (1)

verb (2)

adjective

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